Final, Royals 9-4: Of the five Tim Wakefield efforts at No. 200, this was the only one from which you walk away with sincere disappointment.
He left with the tying run on second and just one out, so seeing the lead vanish was not out of the question. But the way it happened was just so forceful.
Boston will try to regroup after a quick turnaround. It's a 2:10 game Sunday afternoon. Look for us as you finish up brunch and keep it here until you finish dinner.
End 8th, Royals 9-4: Sure, Dan Wheeler has pitched in some low-pressure situations. But still, consider some of the numbers.
His ERA in the last three months: 2.35, 2.08. 0.00. His WHIP in that span: 0.91, 0.85, 0.75.
Mid 8th, Royals 9-4: The lone bright spot of the top of the eighth was Carl Crawford recording his first multi-hit game since August 7.
When you need five runs to tie, such a bright spot means little.
Dan Wheeler, who may start to see some high-leverage outings real soon, is on to pitch the eighth.
End 7th, Royals 9-4: Franklin Morales makes quick work of the Royals in the seventh. Too little, too late.
If you're beginning to look ahead, as we are with just six outs left for the Sox, it will be Jon Lester against Danny Duffy tomorrow, a matchup that most certainly favors Boston.
Mid 7th, Royals 9-4: I'll be frank. I was about six paragraphs into a Tim Wakefield 200th win story. Kinda liked it so far, too.
Oh well, we'll save that for next time and just change the opponent, which will be Texas on Thursday.
Boston goes quietly in the top of the seventh. If the scores hold, the team nobody is giving a chance (but me?), the Tampa Bay Rays, will be seven games behind the Red Sox.
That margin was 11 not all that long ago.
End 6th, Royals 9-4: One has to wonder if Matt Albers continues to head south, what it does to this bullpen. Dan Wheeler will be getting his shot in big spots very soon.
Albers was charged with five runs and has now allowed 11 in just eight innings this month. He threw 13 scoreless frames in July, for comparison's sake.
Eric Hosmer's two-run triple off Franklin Morales capped the rally, which saw the Royals pound out seven hits, four for extra bases.
9:14 p.m.: That shot of Tim Wakefield in the dugout said it all. Long face. Even longer inning, for all involved.
After Wake gives way to Matt Albers, the reliever's struggles continue in a major way.
Albers comes in and gives up a walk, a single, a double, a single and a single.
There was a fly out mixed in there, but what a disaster. Wakefield stormed out of the dugout as Terry Francona went to get Albers. Franklin Morales is in to try to clean up the mess.
9:01 p.m.: Well, things changed in a heartbeat. Tim Wakefield just gave up a series of ringing hits, leading to two quick runs for the Royals.
It's up to the bullpen now. Matt Albers is up first. He inherits a 4-3 game with a man on second and one out.
Mid 6th, Red Sox 4-1: Ryan Lavarnway said that when he came up with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first last night, he felt that he was going to get his first major league hit and RBI at the same time.
It didn't happen, but that first hit came a few innings later. And he only had to wait until the next night for that first RBI.
Lavarnway just smacked one into center field to score Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a close play at home.
Saltalamacchia, who doubled, is not a burner by any means, but he runs the bases well, and always seems to make good decisions.
Tim Wakefield has to hold on for six more outs or so and then he can turn it over to the dynamic duo.
End 5th, Red Sox 3-1: Tim Wakefield has to throw a few more extra pitches after a two-out double by Alex Gordon that created a bit of an awkward scene for the Red Sox.
Josh Reddick and Darnell McDonald converged in right-center going for the Gordon hit. There may have been some uncertainty or hesitation as they flirted with a collission.
Reddick made the attempt at the catch but could not come up with it, and was rather fortunate that McDonald's leg didn't catch him in the head.
Wakefield worked around the hit by getting a soft grounder to short.
Mid 5th, Red Sox 3-1: Maybe my words got Felipe Paulino fired up.
After predicting that the fifth inning would be the last for the righty, who had given up six hits and three walks in the first four, he gets through the heart of the Red Sox order in a matter of seven pitches.
Dustin Pedroia was a strikeout victim for the second out.
Paulino is at 86 pitches and actually has a chance at a quality start with one more scoreless frame. Shows how much I know.
End 4th, Red Sox 3-1: Put a star next to Dustin Pedroia's play in the fourth that helps Tim Wakefield get through another frame with little to worry about.
Jeff Francoeur had reached on an infield hit, the 8,000th of this game it seems. With one out, he attempted to swipe second.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia's throw was in the dirt and on the shortstop side of second base but Pedroia picked it and swiped the tag back to catch Francoeur's leg as he slid in.
Salvador Perez then went down on strikes to end it.
Mid 4th, Red Sox 3-1: The Red Sox didn't have many hard-hit balls through the first three innings. They had plenty in the fourth and Tim Wakefield has a mid-inning lead with which to work.
Singles by Dustin Pedroia and Josh Reddick started it off. With one out, Carl Crawford ripped a base hit to center, scoring Pedroia and giving Crawford a three-game hitting streak after his run of four straight 0-for-3 efforts. (Hey, it's something.)
Ryan Lavarnway's second major league hit, a hard shot knocked down by third baseman Mike Moustakas, pushed Reddick to third. He would score on Darnell McDonald's sacrifice fly to right.
Felipe Paulino added a four-pitch walk to the mess before finally escaping with the bases loaded. If he lasts past the fifth I'll be surprised.
End 3rd, 1-1: Tim Wakefield cannot have that all-important shutdown inning after his team scores.
Wakefield allowes a leadoff single to Alcides Escobar. Two outs later, with Escobar on second, Billy Butler dropped a double down the line in right, just out of the reach of a diving Josh Reddick.
Butler is now 6-for-15 (.400) against Wakefield, who is at 52 pitches through three.
Mid 3rd, Red Sox 1-0: When you have a makeshift lineup like the one the Red Sox have tonight, you may have to score runs in funny ways.
Such was the case in the third inning, which featured nothing out of the infield.
A leadoff walk to Ryan Lavarnway came before a wild pitch that put a man in scoring position.
Darnell McDonald then dropped down a perfect bunt single that put runners on the corners with no outs and improved McDonald's average against righties to .118 (4-for-34).
So how did the run come in? On a double play, of course. And that came before Felipe Paulino committed the Royals' second throwing error of the game on a Mike Aviles infield hit.
Strange inning. So far, Boston has two infield hits, two walks and has been helped out by two errors and a wild pitch.
Adrian Gonzalez ended the inning with a fly to the track in center. That home run is coming, my friends.
End 2nd, 0-0: Tim Wakefield has always loved pitching in Kansas City, for whatever reason (it's the bbq).
His ERA in Kauffman Stadium is down to 3.39 after he gets through the second with little problem.
Salvador Perez, who was a great explorer in a past life, was Wakefield's first strikeout victim.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: Nice and easy for Felipe Paulino in the second. He picks up his first strikeout by getting Jarrod Saltalamacchia swinging at some high cheese.
Mmmm…high cheese.
End 1st, 0-0: The top three hitters in the Royals lineup entered 14-for-34 against Tim Wakefield, so they are worth keeping an eye on.
Wakefield manages to retire the first two before Billy Butler singled up the middle.
Eric Hosmer then flies out to right. Easy enough.
Mid 1st, 0-0: The Red Sox were given plenty of assistance in their effort to pick up an early run, but the key hit never came.
Marco Scutaro drew a leadoff walk from Felipe Paulino. Mike Aviles then hit into a force play but the return throw to first was bounced by shortstop Alcides Escobar and Aviles was awarded second on the error.
A walk and an error and Boston had a man in scoring position for its big guns. However, Adrian Gonzalez grounded one to second, moving Aviles to third, and Dustin Pedroia was out on an easy 5-3.
Paulino throws hard. He will need to improve upon his strike-throwing (just 10 of his 21 pitches were strikes) to be able to consistently put up zeroes.
Timmy time.
7:10 p.m.: Felipe Paulino throws a ball outside to Marco Scutaro. Keep it here for all the updates going forward.
6:37 p.m.: David Ortiz tweeted that he did indeed hit in the cage and "felt good."
Ortiz could be back by the end of this road trip, but if Boston's bats perform as they did last night, what's the rush?
Or was that just an aberration? Much of that will depend upon the work of Felipe Paulino, whom very few Red Sox players have ever seen.
Mike Aviles is 3-for-3 against Paulino. Adrian Gonzalez is 0-for-3. Jarrod Saltalamacchia is 0-for-2. That's it. Paulino is no Cy Young candidate, but it might take a trip through the order before Boston gets to him, just so that they each have a look at his stuff.
Paulino has been serviceable since joining the Royals. He owns a 3.76 ERA in 14 games — 13 starts — with KC.
6:28 p.m.: A few pregame links to pass on to you.
First, another reminder that you can track the action at the Futures at Fenway live blog.
We also have a quick look at one interesting storyline in tonight's Red Sox-Royals matchup, and it does not involve Tim Wakefield.
There is also an all-Red Sox matchup in one of our Boston Greatest Sports Moment showdowns. Cast your vote here.
4:56 p.m.: Stop me if you've heard this before, but Tim Wakefield is going for 200 wins tonight!
Yes, it's become a bit redundant as Wakefield has fallen short four straight times. It's not his fault. In fact, he's been about as consistent as in any stretch of the past two seasons. Limited run support and some quirky happenings have foiled his pursuit of the milestone.
As he takes his fifth stab at No. 200, Wakefield will take on this lineup:
Alex Gordon, LF
Melky Cabrera, CF
Billy Butler, DH
Eric Hosmer, 1B
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Mike Moustakas, 3B
Salvador Perez, C
Chris Getz, 2B
Alcides Escobar, SS
The top third of the lineup is a collective 14-for-34 (.412) with a home run and three doubles. The next six guys have very limited looks at the knuckler.
4:22 p.m.: Further updates on the walking wounded has some progress being made by David Ortiz.
According to Ian Browne of MLB.com, David Ortiz will get rid of his walking boot to take batting practice today. The boot will go back on after the session, but it's a nice step forward for Ortiz.
Also, Terry Francona confirmed to reporters that there is no structural damage in Jacoby Ellsbury's back. It's just a bruise, probably like the one I have on my hip after being undercut by my overzealous dog last week.
If Ellsbury's not back in there on Sunday, expect him to show his face by the time the team gets to Texas. Then again, with lefties on the mound Sunday and Monday, maybe Francona will wait until Tuesday rolls around to give his star center fielder a fresh start.
3:50 p.m.: Our own Heidi Watney has reported that Jacoby Ellsbury had an X-ray and an MRI on his back and all is fine. He simply feels like he got hit by a pitch, but no worse than that.
Captain Obvious says that this is good news for the Red Sox. Perhaps he'll be back in there tomorrow afternoon.
3:18 p.m.: The Red Sox finally get some depth back with the return of Marco Scutaro, but it means little as Jacoby Ellsbury is out.
Ellsbury was struck square in the middle of the back with a pitch last night. He told reporters he was OK but sore. We will learn soon how sore he is after a night of rest. Apparently not well enough to be in the starting lineup, which takes on another wild look:
Marco Scutaro, SS
Mike Aviles, 3B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Josh Reddick, RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Carl Crawford, LF
Ryan Lavarnway, DH
Darnell McDonald, CF
3:08 p.m.: As we await the lineups, just a reminder that we are following the Futures at Fenway with a live blog of that great event. Keep one page open to that in order to live out all phases of the Red Sox organization. A true die-hard may just burst.
8 a.m. ET: Kansas City, Mo., will be the fifth different city to see Tim Wakefield try for his 200th career win. The latest effort takes place Saturday night when Wakefield leads the Red Sox into another matchup with the Royals.
Wakefield is 0-2 with a 4.08 ERA in his four starts since claiming win No. 199 at Fenway Park on July 24. Three of the four outings were quality starts, but Boston has averaged just 4.0 runs a game in that stretch.
The 45-year-old is 7-4 with a 3.46 ERA at Kauffman Stadium.
Losers of 10 of their last 12, including the first two games of this four-game set, the Royals turn to Felipe Paulino. The right-hander is 1-5 with a 3.76 ERA this season.
Paulino’s first pitch will sail in around 7:10 p.m. ET. The Red Sox hope that the man waiting for it is Jacoby Ellsbury. He was hit in the back by a pitch in the eighth inning of the game Friday night and was removed moments later.
